Modified Date of a DB object - Sql Server 2000

Some days Back i had a particular requirement like.. i wanted to identify the modified datetime of a Database object in Sql Server 2000.

We have the table called sysobjects in every database which is supposed to store all these information.

There are two columns which is of interest for the above scenario

1. crdate Created Date
2. refdate - ( This also stored the Created Date only )

After i saw refdate, i was really excited and thought that this was the column which stores the modified datetime of a Database object.
But my excitement came down even more quickly as it also stored the date of Creation of the object.

Thought Google Is God and started Googling.

After googling for some time, Guess what i discoverd, There is no way u can get the Modified datetime of a Database object in Sql Server 2000.


The day after, i was just googling around for the same.

I knew all Changes to the database are recorded in the log files, So if i was able to read / Query the Sql Log files, i was able to meet my requirement.

I tried to open the Sql Log in a notapad, after stopping the server, but there was nothing in a readable format.

I Googled Again....... ;( "How to read Sql Log files"

And i finally found some thing interesting, DBCC..

DBCC is an abbreviation for Database Console Command. DBCC commands are generally used to check the physical and logical consistency of a database, although they are also used for a variety of miscellaneous tasks that can be done.

These are not popular things which are known to everyone...

There is a command called dbcc log

whose signature looks like dbcc log(databasename/dbid, type)

Ex : DBCC log(temp,3)

I thought this will provide information which we cant digest...

The quest for my requirement continues....


For the time being....
Chao....


Happy Coding

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------